Return of the Dark Sorcerer (Rerun) #19 - Cloud's Return to Fraust
8Return of the Dark Sorcerer is a hack for Final Fantasy 6 by Gi Nattak. New characters, new portraits, rebalanced spells/moves, a new overworld map, new events, and multiple difficulty levels are just some of the features of this hack.
The latest version can always be found in one of the following two locations:
https://www.ff6hacking.com/patches/rotds/FFVI_ROTDS.zip
http://ngplus.net/index.php?/files/file/8-final-fantasy-vi-return-of-the-dark-sorcerer/
As usual, you'll need to find a proper ROM on your own to patch with.
Version being played: 2.0.5
Getting close to the end of the scenario and it's a relatively simple trip to the end. There's no new treasures in the cave, just new enemies that are more annoying than the ones in Seascape Town's basement area, but still nothing that should be difficult for you to handle if you wish.
When you get to the healing spring though, best to prepare by equipping any auto shell relics to Cloud & Tifa if you have them. Otherwise, just go with whatever, especially the two relics from the cells the Crimson Blades were in (Dwarf Bracer which boosts might by 50% and the always awesome Speed Boots).
As you try to exit, whatever's been making some rumbling noises decides to come out and play...and what do you know, it happens to be a machine Cloud & Tifa are quite familiar with from their native game, the classic Guard Scorpion.
Guard Scorpion is the wake up call for anyone thinking they're getting off free with an easy scenario. Even then though, it pales compared to Ronan's scenario. While its physical strikes can do around 300 or so damage before buffs are up, it doesn't go gun crazy with AoEs like some previous bosses have.
Among the named attacks, most are single target affairs like Missile (Seizure + damage based on target's current hp), Smokescreen (blind), and Magitek Laser.
The AoE moves are few and far between here with a couple new moves in Nether Shot (Light damage, inflicts poison) & Anti-Magic Field (Should really be anti-buffs field because this move will rip off any non perma buffs a character has if it connects on them).
There's precisely two attacks that are very dangerous in the fight. One of them is the AoE attack Magnitude Eight. Without shell active, you're looking at 400-450 damage per character. So long as those shell buffs are up, a multi target Cure from Tifa + Warren mimicing that should get everyone out of the danger zone.
The other dangerous move comes after Guard Scorpion uses Search Scope. That means the targeted character is getting blasted by Orb of Travel next turn. This move does damage based on how many steps you've taken in your quest thus far. If you come here as your first or second scenario tackled, it shouldn't be too nasty, but for me? It nearly one shot my Cloud due to all that gil grinding I did on the Beast Plains.
Best strategy here is to have Cloud on nearly full time offense, only stopping to dispense Potions or other items if the situation requires it.
Tifa sets up buffs for the majority of the battle. Protect is the most important since you'll see more physical strikes then anything else, but don't forget about Shell to take some of the sting off of Magnitude Eight.
As for the Crimson Blade duo, they can contribute nicely to the battle as well. Gus can jump like a madman or dispense Potions while Warren waits to mimic whatever move you want to double up on, be it Cloud's limits, Tifa's reels, or even item usage.
Before you dismantle the mecha scorpion for good, steal its Plate Mail with a Thief Knife equipped Cloud.
Once the mecha is down for good, the two Crimson Blade member go on ahead to Fraust with Cloud & Tifa right behind after a short conversation.
With that, scenario #3 is done, meaning the scene now switches over to Fraust. Aurora, Serin, Astral, and Arvis are trying to get the thick headed buffoons of Fraust to realize there's a war coming to their doorsteps, but of course said buffoons think they're just coming for the esper.
As the rest of the crew comes pouring in with their own stories, it becomes obvious...KINDA can't ignore a big wave of soldiers that want the esper and will stop at nothing to get it, even if it means killing townspeople. Only one thing they can do and that's to protect the esper who's been moved up into the snowy mountain...even if Avalon's got some rightly deserved hesitation to trust Tifa right now.
When you gain control of Aurora, there's a familiar fellow by the save point, Oboro. Turns out he caught wind of the battle to be starting soon and decided to come out and offer his services. For 2000 gil, he'll be a party member you can deploy for the upcoming battle.
Next time...the gun barrel of battle begins to keep the esper out of Kefka's hands.
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